Work Culture

Certified to excel

The learning focus of Persistent Systems makes it an employer of choice for lifetime learners, writes Sudipta Dev.

For almost a decade-and-a-half, Persistent Systems was a typical software product development organisation with a focus on technology and minimal staff requirements. Then came the major push in terms of business turnover, the headcount increased from 500 in 2003-2004 to almost 2,200 within a year. The number is expected to grow to 3,000 by year-end. With this came the challenges of managing people through the transition—attracting, retaining and constantly engaging them in interesting career assignments.

Headquartered in Pune, the company has nine development centres in Asia, Europe and America. With its focus on hardcore technology, the company has always tried to recruit the best talent from the IITs and RECs. While earlier most of the candidates were from education institutes and organisations in Pune, Persistent Systems today, is able to successfully attract talent from Bangalore, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and other cities.

The company takes great pride in its wide technology offerings. “We have been able to attract and retain our talent force because of the challenging options offered to them to work on various platforms in the product development space,” says Sangeeta Mahurkar-Rao, Associate Vice-president & Head HR, Persistent Systems. The role of HR changed from a personnel function to a new dimension. HR is now an integral part of all strategy meets in the organisation.

Persistent has a strong learning focus and on any given day 300 people can be trained. They have successfully initiated a certification drive called the ‘U Pass V Pay’ scheme, under which people are encouraged to get certifications from Microsoft, Sun, etc. A notable inclusion is the emphasis on upgrading their project management skills. Persistent has launched the PMI-PMP certification drive. Eight people have got PMI certification this year, while the total till last year is an impressive figure of 47. There is also a customised MBA programme for mid-managers with the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune.

Other learning opportunities include the Project Readiness Programme, behavioural skills and domain skill specialisation, language training, etc. Persistent has 500 hours of content for its e-learning programme, provided by leading international vendor, SkillSoft.

Dr Anand Deshpande, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, is an IIT alumnus and the company shares a ‘special’ relationship with the institution. One of the highlights of the training programme includes a distant education module with IIT Bombay. The programme comprises post-graduate courses in IT through a simulated classroom environment. Each course is offered through satellite-driven video-broadcast lectures received via VSAT or a leased line.

Those interested in pursuing higher education, for instance an M Tech, are allowed to take a sabbatical. Many of them return to the organisation and the company reimburses a part of the course expenses.

“Retaining the workforce in a competitive environment being a real challenge, Persistent understands the need to bring the HR close to the people at the business unit level. One HR representative is consequently made available to the group. The deployment of HR at the BU level integrates it with the organisation. The purpose is to build relationship as there is someone to talk to,” says Mahurkar-Rao.

As an organisation, Persistent has never believed that its relationship with people ends as soon as they leave its fold. And this has resulted in a strong alumni network of which the company is proud of. Many ex-employees, inclu-ding those working in US MNCs have given business to the company. And this probably speaks the best for a work culture that has truly valued and nurtured its workforce.

sudipta@expresscomputeronline.com